What Do You Dislike Most About SR Shaving?

[dabrock]

For me, I couldn't shave with my first couple shavettes but now that I have an AC SS I'm happy with the way it feels and learning the technique. What I don't really want to do though is head down that huge rabbit hole of a real SR. I just know I'd end up spending a couple thousand or so on razors, strops, stones, pastes, oils, cases, displays etc. Not to mention all of the hours involved in learning how to set an edge and keep it well-honed.

I'll stick to the shavette side of the house, and keep an eye out for rabbits!

 

[Chango]

Time consuming. Sometimes I really want to grab the straight but I’m running behind so I have to use a DE. I found out early on that rushing a straight razor shave is a really bad idea.

 

[rbscebu]

Time consuming. Sometimes I really want to grab the straight but I’m running behind so I have to use a DE. I found out early on that rushing a straight razor shave is a really bad idea.

It's all a matter of priorities. For me, my daily SR shave is my highest. NOTHING interrupts my SR shave. The world can wait.

 

[camoloc]

It's all a matter of priorities. For me, my daily SR shave is my highest. NOTHING interrupts my SR shave. The world can wait.

I've gave this some contemplative thought.

there are no dislikes that I can think of.

other than waiting entirely too long to learn about this. should be mandatory learning in the school systems!!!!!

camo

 

[Dominic]

NOTHING interrupts my SR shave. The world can wait.

--"Hey! I'm shaving. Whatever it is can wait."
--"Uhhh...the house is on fire."
--"How bad is it?"

 

[sexy beast]

You cannot rush a SR shave.

 

[Saxon]

I tried hard to think of a dislike, but I can't come up with anything. Maybe worrying about wear or damaging the original scales on my older razors?

 

[ables]

While one of the biggest draws for me is the challenge of straight razor honing and shaving, I would honestly have to say it is also my biggest dislike. With DE I get a perfect shave 8 out of 10 times, and 2 out of 10 good. With SR I am only at maybe 6 of of 10 shaves being good, 3 out of 10 perfect and 1 out of 10 being bad. That 1 bad shave can be so discouraging/frustrating especially when you know it was your own rushing or lack of attention as the problem. I know that one bad shave is the motivation to keep improving but my face sometimes isnt as understanding as my mind!

 

[Eastcoast30]

What do I dislike the most? Ruining razors - but how else am I going to learn?

 

[Bevel]

For me it's probably the first stroke of a newly honed razor when I go "Whoa, that ain't right" and have to revert to a known edge.

 

[3oclockShadow]

For me, I couldn't shave with my first couple shavettes but now that I have an AC SS I'm happy with the way it feels and learning the technique. What I don't really want to do though is head down that huge rabbit hole of a real SR. I just know I'd end up spending a couple thousand or so on razors, strops, stones, pastes, oils, cases, displays etc. Not to mention all of the hours involved in learning how to set an edge and keep it well-honed.

I'll stick to the shavette side of the house, and keep an eye out for rabbits!

Speaking as someone who started down the path of real SRs and only later found the AC SS/DX and DE razors, I think you are making a wise decision.

 

[dabrock]

Speaking as someone who started down the path of real SRs and only later found the AC SS/DX and DE razors, I think you are making a wise decision.

Lol, I ended up jumping down not long after I wrote that!

 

[Jakebullet]

I know everyone’s different but for me the unexpected joy in learning to hone was a big, and very welcome surprise when I started straight razor shaving.
Learning to shave is great fun but it’s so tied up in the honing that for me, whenever possible, the razor should be honed by the user. The earth is full of all kinds of great fun rocks and surfaces to play around with, and there’s a satisfaction to be had when you start nailing good edges and turning that into good shaves.

 

[JGKC9AYC]

What I hate most about SR shaving is seeing blood on my face and razor!

 

[Shutterbug57]

I like a SR shave, but rarely have time for the required maintenance. I also am not that good at honing. For most days I use a Feather SS with an unguarded Feather blade. it’s not quite as satisfying as a pure straight, but it takes no more time to clean & store than a DE or SE. the Feather blades are sharper than any straight I have had and last much longer without honing.

 

[Herrenberg]

I struggled with the thread question. Sometimes I think I love everything about my involvement with straight razors. But I'm not too fond of:

Rolling X strokes. I'm learning how to do them. It works well, but it's so slow (or I am). Some part of my kamisori-weaned self still believes that all bevels should be dead flat. Had to admit defeat on that one, for a couple of razors.

Previous owners of a razor who honed it in an obviously brain-dead way for many years.

Having to take a Dremel to my very first Iwasaki kamisori, because I used up too much of its face steel learning to hone it, and honing out the damage my newbie hands did to it. I know one should not feel guilt toward inanimate objects, but I can't help believing that a razor made by a great artisan contains some of the soul of its maker.

 

[luv2shave]

This whole damn thing called stroping.

I've got whipped Dog poor man's strop kit to practice it. I go slow turning my fingers as I strop up and down but I see a couple of nicks near the bottom of the strop where I hold it.

I thought being amphidextrous and shaving with a naked sharp edge was going to be difficult or using stones for progressive honing for a fine edge. That came easy.somehow, but the stroping had me here

Any tips how you folks hold the strop, hanging above or below your head or waist line, is it sloping upwards or downwards or straight ? Any tips appreciated.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Any tips how you folks hold the strop, hanging above or below your head or waist line, is it sloping upwards or downwards or straight ?

I've read a lot of variants here, so it's definitely a matter of personal preference.

I prefer to hang it between mid-chest and shoulder level. In use I have the bottom at about waist height and step back from the wall so the strop is at about a 45° angle. And I strop holding both cloth and leather components thinking that the fabric will "support" the leather more than just holding the leather component would. And I vastly prefer "barber ends", without handles or D-rings.

 

[rbscebu]

Any tips how you folks hold the strop, hanging above or below your head or waist line, is it sloping upwards or downwards or straight ? Any tips appreciated.

The angle at which you use a strop is a personal preference thing, what ever you feel comfortable with.

Don't believe everything you see on YouTube (or in the cartoons). Here is the correct way to strop:

Hold the strop reasonably tight and strop with almost no pressure. You should not see any deflection in the strop while stropping. If you do, hold it tighter and/or use less pressure.

You can ONLY cut/nick a strop if the edge is in contact with the strop and moving on the strop edge first. Take it slowly, watch what you are doing and roll the blade at the end of each stroke spine down - never spine up.

If you cut or nick a strop, you are not paying enough attention to what you are doing. I should know as I cut up three strops before I settled down.

 

[Ukcarl]

Most gentleman enjoy SR shaving but there is probably something that you do not like as much. What is it for you?

Other people that don’t use them they ask how much you paid for things then think you’re nuts when you tell them .I don’t bother anymore I just make up a number we see a jnat they see an expensive brick lol .